About KZSC

Mission Statement

KZSC is a non-commercial, educational public radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to the University of California. The station’s responsibilities are to both the license grantor and license holder.

The station’s responsibility to the UC Regents is to serve as a training ground for UC Santa Cruz students wishing to pursue a professional career or a vocational activity in the broadcast industry. The station is also obligated by the FCC to operate as a public service to Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey county audiences, offering programming in “the public interest.”

KZSC is dedicated to airing alternative viewpoints that often differ from the broadcasts found on many commercial stations. Our creative and educational endeavors will be guided by honesty, balance and sensitivity.

KZSC is committed to soliciting and providing access in a non- discriminatory, progressive fashion to those traditionally underrepresented in the media. This includes, but is not limited to, women, cultural, ethnic and racial minorities, people of various sexual orientations, seniors, youth, children and the disabled.

KZSC staff shall at all times strive for completeness in news coverage. The station shall strive conscientiously for unbiased and fair reporting on all events and topics.

With the exception of FCC and University rules, KZSC shall not allow any censorship (“prior restraint”) in program content by any agency outside of the station (refer to FCC policies and the UCSC Rule book.)

Purpose

In 1928, the Federal Radio Commission (the predecessor to the FCC) elaborated a definition of “public interest” in the following terms (cited in part):

Broadcasting stations are licensed to serve the public and not for the purpose of furthering the private or selfish interests of individuals or groups of individuals. The standard of public interest, convenience, or necessity means nothing if it does not mean this…The entire listening public within the service area of a station.., is entitled to service from that station…A broadcasting station may be regarded as a sort of ‘mouthpiece on the air for the community it serves, over which its public events of general interest…may be broadcast. If…the station performs its duty in furnishing a well-rounded program, the rights of the community have been achieved.

KZSC is dedicated to this definition of “public interest.” KZSC is dedicated to producing the best radio our various personnel and facilities will permit, serving the UCSC campus and our larger listening audience with news, public affairs, music, entertainment and spoken word programming as well as broadcasts and information about various UCSC campus events and issues.

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